Located in the southwestern part of Guangdong, China, Zhanjiang is a vibrant coastal city known for its unique cultural heritage and beautiful natural scenery. As the southernmost city of the Chinese mainland, Zhanjiang's culture is deeply influenced by its maritime history and diverse ethnic groups. It preserves many traditional dances, such as the Centipede Dance (蜈蚣舞), Renlong Dance (人龙舞), and the Nuo Dance (傩舞).
The character "傩 (Nuo)" means expelling evil spirits and pestilence in Chinese. It represents an ancient traditional cultural phenomenon in China. Related to Chinese Wu and their activities at the very beginnings of Chinese civilization, Nuo takes on the role of worship and blessings through certain rituals. The earliest documented evidence of Chinese Nuo culture originates from the Shang dynasty (1600 - 1046 BCE).
Nuo dance is a primitive dance with ritual characteristics and is called "the living fossil of Chinese folk dance". During the performance, dancers shout and dance with masks to scare away evil spirits and pray for the coming new year. The term "With the mask off, we're all mortals. With the mask on, I can be a god." is commonly applied to the Nuo dance. Additionally, the Nuo dance plays a significant role in Zhanjiang's Nianli event.
In Zhanjiang, Maoming, and other western Guangdong regions, the festivals occurring in the first and second months of the Chinese calendar are celebrated with a special event known as "Nianli" (which literally means a yearly celebration). People take villages as units to worship ancestors, entertain friends, relatives, and neighbors with a grand feast, and perform various plays during the event. In Wuchuan City, Zhanjiang, the tradition of performing Nuo dance from door to door during the Nianli event has been passed down through generations for thousands of years.
In 2008, Zhanjiang Nuo dance was inscribed on the list of China's national intangible cultural heritage.
Author | Li Muzi
Videographer | Pan Jiajun, Fu Boming
Video Editor | Pan Jiajun
Editor | Hu Nan, James, Shen He
